Trouble at the top: Mayor vs Commissioner spat turns ugly

Following the controversy over inauguration of the green belt in Mauli Jagran,the Mayor met Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Pawan Kumar Bansal and sought his intervention in the matter on Sunday.

The Mayor had objected to the inauguration of the green belt by the Municipal Commissioner on Friday,stating that being the head of the elected representatives it was her prerogative to inaugurate projects in the city. She also took exception to the fact that she was not informed about the inauguration. Officer have now been told to inform the Mayor about the ongoing projects and also when they are completed.

The issue had led to a heated exchange of allegations between the Congress and BJP,with the saffron party backing the commissioner.

“The minister has assured me that he would take steps to ensure that the chair of the Mayor is given due respect. He would decide the appropriate level at which the issue needs to be taken up,” said Chatrath.

“The officials should inform the Mayor as well as councillors about the work in their areas. There are times when we are not informed about the agendas to be discussed at the meetings. At times,the Administration gives orders and MC officials execute them without informing the elected body. These practices should be stopped,” she said.

This is not the first time in her tenure that the Mayor and the Municipal Commissioner have been at loggerheads. During the controversy of encroachment of land by CITCO-run Hotel Shivalikview,the Commissioner had been accused of supporting CITCO rather than the civic body. The councillors had walked out of the Finance and Contract Committee meeting demanding action from the executive. The Mayor had taken up the issue with the UT Adviser.

In another incident,the Mayor had sent her consent for study tours for councillors. While one group wanted to visit Guwahati-Gangtok,the other wanted to visit Bangalore. Commissioner Sunkaria then sent a note stating that the two groups ‘need to decide on one destination and only then a tour could be conducted’. The Mayor replied that since the consent of the councillors has already been taken,the matter would be taken up in the House.

In fact,the disagreements between the elected representatives and executive body is frequently visible during the House meetings every month. Allegations fly thick and fast.

The tussle for power between the officials and elected representatives has been witnessed for many years. Even during the tenure of Mayor Kamlesh,there had been numerous issues of conflict with the executive. Sunkaria had written a letter to Kamlesh stating that she cannot review projects or hold meetings,stressing that only he could do so as he was the executive head.

This was in response to letters by Kamlesh who wanted to know the status of the ongoing projects.

“An elected representatives should not interfere with the functioning of the executive. They create so much pressure that it becomes difficult for officials to function. Not many officials are willing to join the MC,and those who have,have now requested to be sent back to their states or to the Administration,” said an official of the civic body on condition of anonymity.

Akali councillor Harjinder Kaur said the dignity of the chair was not being maintained. “The controversy over the inauguration was uncalled for. What difference does it make if the commissioner inaugurated the green belt? He has full right to do so. The Congress is simply trying to put pressure on officials ,” she said.